The Best Memories
by CharliesOldLady
Summary: One-Shot. Norah Coughlin reminisces some of her favorite memories she had with her husband. - Jem/OC


**This is a one-shot I wrote and posted a while ago. It was the one I tried to turn into a story and failed at it. So now it's a one-shot again. Reviews are wanted and appreciated.**

* * *

**_The Best Memories_**

I stood staring at my husband's casket, my heart aching more than my swollen ankles ever could.

Four days ago James Coughlin who was better known as Jem, was gunned down in the street after robbing Fenway Park with three of his friends for the dodgy florist they worked for. I was the only one there to claim Jem's body and give him a proper burial.

I was the only person here to mourn for my loss, not even Jem's drop kick sister; Krista showed her ugly face to pay her respect.

I dropped the red rose that was in my right hand, on top of the casket after it had been lowered into the ground, as memories of Jem started clouding my mind.

* * *

_It was a typical summer's night in Charlestown. I was walking home from the bar I worked at as a bartender. I was half way home when a drunk man started harassing and following me. He grabbed for my arm and I tried to pull it away as the guy started getting rough with me. I couldn't make out what he was saying because his words were so slurred. I then felt the guy release the grip he had on me and watched as he was pulled back and punched square in the face. I looked at my saviour to see a guy a little shorter than the man that grabbed me. He turned around and our eyes met. I felt breathless._

_"Are you okay, Miss?" He asked me._

_I shook my head regaining my composure. "I'm fine. I deal with drunks all the time."_

_"That guy was fuckin' more than drunk," he said. "Are you sure you're fine?" _

_"I am now," I said truthfully._

_"Is it okay if I walk you the rest of the way to where you're going?" He asked._

_"Sure," I said giving him a small smile. I couldn't say no to the blue eyes piercing my own blue eyes._

_"I'm James but everyone calls me Jem," he introduced himself._

_"I'm Norah," I smiled._

* * *

_Jem was having another weekend BBQ. I felt out of place with Jem being the only one I got along with. Jem went to get another beer for us and I followed him. Jem handed me a beer when he got them out of the fridge. "You must fuckin' hate coming to these things," he said leaning against the counter. _

_I stood in front of him. "I don't hate it. It's just you're the only one who likes me."_

_"I love you," Jem let slip. We've been in a relationship for almost a year. I knew from the moment I met Jem he would be the one I fell in love with. I just wanted him to be the first to say it. Even then it was still a shock._

_"I... I love you too." I managed to spit out._

_Jem smiled and pulled me closer, placing a kiss to my lips. I placed my bottle on the counter and wrapped my arms around Jem's neck holding him closer if possible. Jem took the hint deepening the kiss. I ran my hands through his short hair. He put down his bottle of beer and led me to his room not breaking the kiss once._

* * *

_"Let's get married, right now," Jem said making me choke on the water I was drinking._

_"What?" I asked shocked once I stopped choking. Jem wanting to get married was something I wasn't expecting. It would be something no one would expect. Jem wasn't the type of guy that was to get married, settle down and maybe have kids one day. _

_"You heard me." He had a genuine Jem smile plastered on his face. _

_"You want to get married?" I asked. _

_"Why's that fuckin' hard to believe?" he asked._

_"I'm just shocked," I said._

_"well don't be" he said frowning slightly._

_"You really want to get married, right now?" I asked making sure._

_"I have the money to get the rings, we can go across the road to city hall. I want you and our baby to have my last name." he said. Two weeks ago we had found out I was 13 weeks pregnant._

_"Really?" I asked still shocked._

_Jem nodded his head yes. "I want to fuckin' marry you. I want us to be a proper family."_

_"Okay," I smiled._

_"Is that you saying yes?" he asked._

_"If that's your way of proposing, than yes."_

_"Let's go get married then," He smiled getting up from his seat. _

* * *

_I woke up to someone banging around in the kitchen. I managed to get out of bed and pull on a pair of maternity pants that were on the end of mine and Jem's bed. I was just under two weeks away from giving birth to mine and Jem's son, Connor James. I walked out to the kitchen to see Jem cleaning. It was something he did when he was nervous. It was weird considering the reputation he had. _

_"Are you okay?" I asked him even though I knew why he was nervous. Robbing Fenway Park was a huge job for him and his friends. It was the biggest job Fergie the dodgy florist had ever given them. Jem knew I hated that Fergie was making him do this. Deep down I had a feeling everything was going to go wrong._

_"I'm okay. Did I wake you?" he asked walking over to me and placed a hand on my enlarged belly. I could tell he didn't want to talk about what was going to happen. _

_"No, your son actually did. He's kicking up a storm in there today."_

_"He's gonna be a fuckin' tough little man."_

_"Like his daddy," I smiled at Jem. _

_"That's how I know he'll be able to protect his mommy if I'm not around."_

_"Don't say that," I told him._

_"We both don't know what's going to happen today. If we get caught I don't want to go back to prison and I'll do what I have to, to make sure I don't." he said looking me dead in the eye. I knew he was serious. "I love you and Connor more than anything but I'm doing this for us so we can get out of Charlestown; raise our kid in a nice area. I told Doug if anything happens to me to give you my cut so you won't be left empty handed."_

_"Nothing is going to happen to you Jem," I said trying to convince myself as well as him._

_"Don't say that," he said, his eyes softening as mine started to tear up. "Just tell me you love me."_

_"I love you," I told him._

_He gave me a small smile and kissed me, his lips lingering on mine for a few seconds longer. "I love you too," he said pulling away._

* * *

I stayed after the funeral director left. I place my hand on my stomach feeling my son kick beneath it. The tears in my eyes were still lingering. I was surprised I had any tears left. I had done nothing but cry since I got the news of Jem being shot in the middle of the street.

"I'm gonna do what you said," I said looking down at the ground. "Once Connor is born, I'm gonna move as far away from Charlestown as I can. I know you'll still be watching over us no matter where we go. We'll still come visit you. I'll tell Connor all about the good times his mommy and daddy had together. I hope he'll be brave and strong as you."

I could feel my tears rolling down my cheeks.

"I love you James Coughlin, forever and always."


End file.
